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Earth's Rotation Is Slowing at an Unprecedented Rate Because of Rising Oceans
Key Takeaways
- Climate-driven ice melt is redistributing mass to the oceans, slowing Earth's rotation at rates the study calls 'almost unprecedented' in the geological record
- The physics follows conservation of angular momentum—mass moving to lower latitudes increases Earth's moment of inertia and reduces rotation speed
- Longer days have practical implications for global timekeeping systems like GPS that depend on precise knowledge of Earth's rotation rate
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DT Editorial Team··4 min read·via gizmodo.com